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Monday, December 21, 2015

Vatican City, 21 December 2015 (VIS) –
Missionary and pastoral spirit, idoneity and sagacity, spirituality
and humanity, example and fidelity, reasonableness and gentleness,
innocuousness and determination, diligence and attentiveness, charity
and truth, openness and maturity, respectfulness and humility,
intrepidness and alertness, and finally, accountability and sobriety.
These are the qualities Pope Francis highlighted this morning in his
greetings to the Roman Curia, as a practical aid to embracing the
time of grace of Christmas and the Year of Mercy and ensuring the
fruitfulness of service to the Church. “I would ask the Heads of
Dicasteries and other superiors to ponder this, to add to it and to
complete it”, he said. “It is a list based on an acrostic
analysis of the word 'Misericordia' … with the aim of having it
serve as our guide and beacon”.

During his traditional exchange of
Christmas greetings with the members of the Roman Curia, the Holy
Father addressed the prelates recalling their previous meetings: in
2013, when he stressed “two important and inseparable aspects of
the work of the Curia: professionalism and service”, offering St.
Joseph as a model to be imitated. Then, last year, as a preparation
for the sacrament of Reconciliation, he considered “certain
temptations or maladies – the catalogue of curial diseases …
which could affect any Christian, curia, community, congregation,
parish or ecclesial movement. Diseases which call for prevention,
vigilance, care and, sadly, in some cases, painful and prolonged
interventions”.

“Some of these diseases became
evident in the course of the past year”, he continued, “causing
no small pain to the entire body and harming many souls, also by
scandal. It seems necessary to state what has been – and ever shall
be – the object of sincere reflection and decisive provisions.
Reform will move forward with determination, clarity and firm
resolve, since Ecclesia semper reformanda. Nonetheless, diseases and
even scandals cannot obscure the efficiency of the services rendered
to the Pope and to the entire Church by the Roman Curia, with great
effort, responsibility, commitment and dedication, and this is a real
source of consolation. St. Ignatius taught that 'it is typical of the
evil spirit to instil remorse, sadness and difficulties, and to cause
needless worry so as to prevent us from going forward; instead, it is
typical of the good spirit to instil courage and energy, consolations
and tears, inspirations and serenity, and to lessen and remove every
difficulty so as to make us advance on the path of goodness'”.

Therefore, “it would be a grave
injustice not to express heartfelt gratitude and needed encouragement
to all those good and honest men and women in the Curia who work with
dedication, devotion, fidelity and professionalism, offering to the
Church and the Successor of Peter the assurance of their solidarity
and obedience, as well as their constant prayers. Moreover, cases of
resistance, difficulties and failures on the part of individuals and
ministers are so many lessons and opportunities for growth, and never
for discouragement. They are opportunities for returning to the
essentials, which means being ever more conscious of ourselves, of
God and our neighbours, of the sensus Ecclesiae and the sensus
fidei”.

Francis turned to the central theme of
his discourse: “this return to essentials … just a few days after
the Church’s inauguration of the pilgrimage of the Holy Year of
Mercy, a Year which represents for her and for all of us a pressing
summons to gratitude, conversion, renewal, penance and
reconciliation”. At the time of Christmas, the feast of God’s
infinite mercy, as St. Augustine of Hippo tells us, and in the
context of the Year of Mercy, he presented to the Roman Curia “a
practical aid”, beginning with the theme of missionary and pastoral
spirit.

“Missionary spirit is what makes the
Curia evidently fertile and fruitful; it is proof of the
effectiveness, efficiency and authenticity of our activity. Faith is
a gift, yet the measure of our faith is also seen by the extent to
which we communicate it. All baptised persons are missionaries of the
Good News, above all by their lives, their work and their witness of
joy and conviction. A sound pastoral spirit is an indispensable
virtue for the priest in particular. It is shown in his daily effort
to follow the Good Shepherd who cares for the flock and gives his
life to save the lives of others. It is the yardstick for our curial
and priestly work. Without these two wings we could never take
flight, or even enjoy the happiness of the 'faithful servant'”.

With regard to idoneity and sagacity:
“Idoneity, or suitability, entails personal effort aimed at
acquiring the necessary requisites for exercising as best we can our
tasks and duties with intelligence and insight. It does not
countenance 'recommendations' and payoffs. Sagacity is the readiness
to grasp and confront situations with shrewdness and creativity.
Idoneity and sagacity also represent our human response to divine
grace, when we let ourselves follow the famous dictum: 'Do everything
as if God did not exist and then put it all in God’s hands as if
you did not exist'”.

Spirituality and humanity:
“Spirituality is the backbone of all service in the Church and in
Christian life. It is what nourishes all our activity, sustaining and
protecting it from human frailty and daily temptation. Humanity is
what embodies the truthfulness of our faith; those who renounce their
humanity renounce everything. Humanity is what makes us different
from machines and robots which feel nothing and are never moved. Once
we find it hard to weep seriously or to laugh heartily – these are
just two signs – we have begun our decline and the process of
turning from 'humans' into something else. Humanity is knowing how
to show tenderness and fidelity and courtesy to all. Spirituality and
humanity, while innate qualities, are a potential needing to be
activated fully, attained completely and demonstrated daily”.

Example and fidelity: “Blessed Paul
VI reminded the Curia – in 1963 – of 'its calling to set an
example'. An example of avoiding scandals which harm souls and impair
the credibility of our witness. Fidelity to our consecration, to our
vocation, always mindful of the words of Christ, 'Whoever is faithful
in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest
in a very little is dishonest also in much' and 'If any of you put a
stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it
would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around
your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the
world for stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to
come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes”.

Reasonableness and gentleness:
“Reasonableness helps avoid emotional excesses, while gentleness
helps avoid an excess of bureaucracy, programmes and planning. These
qualities are necessary for a balanced personality: 'The enemy –
and forgive me for quoting St. Ignatius once again – pays careful
heed to whether a soul is coarse or delicate; if it is delicate, he
finds a way to make it overly delicate, in order to cause it greater
distress and confusion'. Every excess is a symptom of some
imbalance”.

Innocuousness and determination:
“Innocuousness makes us cautious in our judgements and capable of
refraining from impulsive and hasty actions. It is the ability to
bring out the best in ourselves, in others and in all kinds of
situations by acting carefully and attentively. It consists of doing
unto others what we would have them do to us. Determination is acting
with a resolute will, clear vision, obedience to God and solely for
the supreme law of the salus animarum”.

Charity and truth: “Two inseparable
virtues of Christian life, 'speaking the truth in charity and
practising charity in truth'. To the point where charity without
truth becomes a destructive ideology of complaisance and truth
without charity becomes myopic legalism”.

Openness and maturity: “Openness is
honesty and rectitude, consistency and absolute sincerity with regard
both to ourselves and to God. An honest and open person does not act
virtuously only when he or she is being watched; honest persons have
no fear of being caught, since they never betray the trust of others.
An honest person is never domineering like the 'wicked servant', with
regard to the persons or matters entrusted to his or her care.
Honesty is the foundation on which all other qualities rest. Maturity
is the quest to achieve balance and harmony in our physical, mental
and spiritual gifts. It is the goal and outcome of a never-ending
process of development which has nothing to do with age”.

Respectfulness and humility:
“Respectfulness is an endowment of those noble and tactful souls
who always try to show genuine respect for others, for their own
work, for their superiors and subordinates, for dossiers and papers,
for confidentiality and privacy, who can listen carefully and speak
politely. Humility is the virtue of the saints and those godly
persons who become all the more important as they come to realise
that they are nothing, and can do nothing, apart from God’s grace”.

“Diligence and attentiveness: “The
more we trust in God and his providence, the more we grow in
diligence and readiness to give of ourselves, in the knowledge that
the more we give the more we receive. What good would it do to open
all the Holy Doors of all the basilicas in the world if the doors of
our own heart are closed to love, if our hands are closed to giving,
if our homes are closed to hospitality and our churches to welcome
and acceptance. Attentiveness is concern for the little things, for
doing our best and never yielding to our vices and failings. St.
Vincent de Paul used to pray: “Lord, help me to be always aware of
those around me, those who are worried or dismayed, those suffering
in silence, and those who feel alone and abandoned”.

Intrepidness and alertness: “Being
intrepid means fearlessness in the face of troubles, like Daniel in
the den of lions, or David before Goliath. It means acting with
boldness, determination and resolve, 'as a good soldier'. It means
being immediately ready to take the first step, like Abraham, or
Mary. Alertness, on the other hand, is the ability to act freely and
easily, without being attached to fleeting material things. The Psalm
says: 'if riches increase, set not your heart on them'. To be alert
means to be always on the go, and never being burdened by the
accumulation of needless things, caught up in our own concerns and
driven by ambition”.

Accountability and sobriety:
“Accountable and trustworthy persons are those who honour their
commitments with seriousness and responsibility when they are being
observed, but above all when they are alone; they radiate a sense of
tranquillity because they never betray a trust. Sobriety – the last
virtue on this list, but not because it is least important – is the
ability to renounce what is superfluous and to resist the dominant
consumerist mentality. Sobriety is prudence, simplicity,
straightforwardness, balance and temperance. Sobriety is seeing the
world through God’s eyes and from the side of the poor. Sobriety is
a style of life which points to the primacy of others as a
hierarchical principle and is shown in a life of concern and service
towards others. The sober person is consistent and straightforward in
all things, because he or she can reduce, recover, recycle, repair,
and live a life of moderation”.

Following this list of qualities,
Francis went on to remind the prelates that “mercy is no fleeting
sentiment, but rather the synthesis of the joyful Good News, a choice
and decision on the part of all who desire to assume the 'Heart of
Jesus' and to be serious followers of the Lord who has asked us to
'be merciful even as your heavenly Father is merciful'. In the words
of Father Ermes Ronchi, 'Mercy is a scandal for justice, a folly for
intelligence, a consolation for us who are debtors. The debt for
being alive, the debt for being loved is only repayable by mercy'.

“And so”, he emphasised, “may
mercy guide our steps, inspire our reforms and enlighten our
decisions. May it be the basis of all our efforts. May it teach us
when to move forward and when to step back. May it also enable us to
understand the littleness of all that we do in God’s greater plan
of salvation and his majestic and mysterious working”.

To conclude, the Holy Father invited
those present to savour the magnificent prayer, commonly attributed
to Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, but pronounced for the first time by
Cardinal John Dearden:

“Every now and then it helps us to
take a step back

and to see things from a distance.

The Kingdom is not only beyond our
efforts, it is also beyond our visions.

In our lives, we manage to achieve only
a small part

of the marvellous plan that is God’s
work.

Nothing that we do is complete,

which is to say that the Kingdom is
greater than ourselves.

No statement says everything that can
be said.

No prayer completely expresses the
faith.

No Creed brings perfection.

No pastoral visit solves every problem.

No programme fully accomplishes the
mission of the Church.

No goal or purpose ever reaches
completion.

This is what it is about:

We plant seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted,

knowing that others will watch over
them.

We lay the foundations of something
that will develop.

We add the yeast which will multiply
our possibilities.

We cannot do everything,

yet it is liberating to begin.

This gives us the strength to do
something and to do it well.

It may remain incomplete, but it is a
beginning, a step along the way.

Vatican City, 21 December 2015 (VIS) –
This morning in the Paul VI Hall Pope Francis exchanged Christmas
greetings with the employees of the Holy See and Vatican City State,
and their families.

Francis thanked all present for their
work and for their efforts in doing all things well, even when there
is no recognition. He addressed in particular those who have carried
out the same type of work for many years, acknowledging that routine
is not always easy to accept as “we are not machines … at times
we need an incentive, or to change a little. … Thank you! Let us
continue to go ahead, in our various workplaces, collaborating with
patience and endeavouring to help each other.”

The Holy Father also apologised for the
scandals that have taken place in the Vatican. “But I would like my
and your attitude, especially in these days, to be that of prayer:
praying for those involved so that they may repent and return to a
righteous path”.

“There is another thing I wish to say
to you, possibly the most important: I encourage you to take care of
your marriage and your children. Look after them, do not neglect
them. Marriage is like a plant. It is not like a cupboard that you
put in a room and perhaps dust every now and then. A plant is living
and must be cared for every day. ... Marriage is a living reality:
the life of a couple must never be taken for granted, in any phase
during the progress of a family. Let us remember that the most
valuable gift for children … is their parents' love. And I do not
mean only the love of parents for their children, but also the love
between parents themselves, that is, the conjugal bond. This is good
for you and for your children”.

“Therefore, first and foremost
cultivate the plant of marriage, as spouses, and at the same time
take care of the relationship with your children; here too, focus on
the human relationship rather than material things. Focus on mercy in
your daily relations, between husband and wife, parents and children,
brothers and sisters; and take care of grandparents. The Jubilee must
be lived also in the domestic church, not only in major events! The
Lord love those who practice mercy in ordinary situations. This is my
wish for you: to experience the joy of mercy, starting with your
family. Happy Christmas!”.

Vatican City, 20 December 2015 (VIS) –
The Holy Father appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican
Apostolic Palace at midday today to pray the Angelus with the
faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. Among those present there
was a large group of children from the Oratories who eagerly awaited
the blessing of their figurines of the Baby Jesus for their nativity
displays. On the fourth Sunday of Advent the Pope explained that, for
celebrate Christmas in a fruitful way, we must stop in places of
'wonder'.

“The first place is the 'other', whom
we recognise as our brother or sister, as since the birth of Jesus,
every face bears a resemblance to the Son of God, and especially when
it is the face of a poor person, because God entered the world in
poverty and allowed Himself to be approached first by the poor”.
The second place of wonder is history. “Very often we think we see
things in the right way, and instead we risk reading things
backwards. This happens, for instance, when history seems to us to be
determined by the market economy, regulated by finance and business,
dominated by the powers that be. The God of Christmas is instead a
God who 'shuffles the deck'.

“The third place of wonder is the
Church”, he continued. “To look on her with the wonder of faith
means considering the Church not merely as a religious institution –
which the Church is – but to feel that she is also a mother in
whom, despite her warts and wrinkles – there are so many! – the
contours of the bride beloved of and purified by Christ the Lord
shine through. A Church who knows how to recognise the many signs of
faithful love that God continuously sends her. A Church for whom the
Lord Jesus will never be a possession to be zealously defended; those
who do this are mistaken. The Lord Jesus will always be the One who
comes to meet her, Whom she knows to await with trust and joy, giving
a voice to the hopes of the world. The Church who calls to the Lord,
'Come Lord Jesus'. The Mother Church whose doors are always open,
whose arms are open to welcome everyone. The Mother Church goes out
from her own doors to seek, with a mother's smile, all of those who
are far away to bring them to God's mercy. This is the wonder of
Christmas”.

He emphasised that “At Christmas, God
gives Himself to us fully by giving His one and only Son, Who is all
his joy. It is only with the heart of Mary, the humble and poor
daughter of Zion, who become the Mother of the Son of the Most High,
that we can rejoice and be glad for the great gift of God and for His
unexpected surprise. … The encounter with Jesus will let us too
feel this great wonder. But we cannot have this wonder and we cannot
meet Jesus, if we do not meet Him in the other, in history and in the
Church”, he concluded.

Vatican City, 20 December 2015 (VIS) –
After today's Angelus prayer, the Pope spoke about the recent
agreements regarding the Middle East reached by the international
community. “I encourage everyone to continue, with a generosity and
dedication, towards a cessation of violence and a negotiated
settlement leading to peace”. Similarly, he mentioned the situation
in Libya, where “the recent working agreement among the parties for
a government of national unity invites hope for the future”. He
also commented on the commitment to collaboration between Costa Rica
and Nicaragua, expressing his hope that “a renewed spirit of
fraternity will further strengthen dialogue and mutual cooperation
between them and among the countries of the region”.

He also mentioned the populations of
India, recently stricken by a major flood, and asked those present to
pray a Hail Mary for these afflicted brothers and sisters. Finally,
he greeted all, and especially the many children in St. Peter's
Square who had brought figurines of the Baby Jesus from their
Nativity displays to be blessed by the Pope. “Dear children, when
you pray before your Nativity, remember me, as I will remember you”.

Vatican City, 19 December 2015 (VIS) -
“The history of the Italian rail service (Ferrovie dello Stato
shows its special attention to the poorest, with different
initiatives of solidarity, both in the past and in the present”,
said Pope Francis this morning, as he received in the Vatican's Paul
VI Hall seven thousand employees in the sector. He also commemorated
the workers who lost their lives during the construction of the
country's rail network, expressing his hope that accidents of this
type may never be repeated.

The initiatives of solidarity Francis
mentioned include the Help Centres present in many Italian cities,
which as well as offering help and advice to those who find
themselves in difficulty, also function as “antennae”, which
“enable us to grasp the signs of what is happening around us, to
perceive the suffering of others, without remaining insensible to
this. These centres are way in which the rail service contributes to
keeping the country united, not only in a geographical sense, but
also at a social level”. Another important initiative is the
Termini Station hostel, dedicated to Don Luigi Di Liegro, founder of
Caritas Roma, renovated by the Ferrovie dello Stato in collaboration
with Caritas. A structure that welcomes hundreds of visitors on a
daily basis, and which is preparing a day service to receive people
seeking shelter.

“May the Holy Year, which began just
a few days ago, teach us this, above all, and impress it in our mind
and our heart that mercy is the first and truest medicine for
humanity, that every one of us urgently needs. It flows continuously
and in superabundance from God, but we must become able to give it in
turn, so that each person can live fully his or her humanity. This is
what is communicated to us by the Holy Doors, which are opened in all
the dioceses of the world in these days. That of the Termini Station
Hostel has become the Holy Door of Charity: those who pass through
with love will find forgiveness and consolation, and will be driven
to give and give themselves with greater generosity, for their
salvation and that of their brothers. Let us allow ourselves to be
renewed by passing through this spiritual door, so that it marks our
inner life. Let us get involved in the Jubilee of Mercy, so as to
renew the fabric of all our society, to make it fairer and more
fraternal.

At the end of the audience the Bishop
of Rome referred to the last monograph in the series “L'Italia del
Treno”, a collection of photographs depicting the Pontiffs'
journeys by train, and expressed his hope that “the esteem that
links us, of which this day is a sign, may be strengthened during
this Holy Year, so that Italy and all the countries of the world may
become places of fraternal, more truly human networks, increasingly
capable of rejoicing in God's love and mutual communion”.

Vatican City, 19 December 2015 (VIS) –
Yesterday afternoon Pope Francis another Holy Door, that was not
however located in a church or cathedral. It was the entrance to the
Caritas hostel at Termini Station, Rome, where the frailest members
of society receive welcome and assistance. This door, in the hostel
named after its founder Don Luigi Di Liegro, is now called the Door
of Charity and, passing through it, the Pope entered the refectory
dedicated to St. John Paul II, where he was awaited by two hundred
men and women, accompanied by the volunteers from the Centre. He
celebrated Holy Mass and pronounced a homily in which he reaffirmed
that power is not the path of salvation and the Heaven cannot be
bought with money.

“God comes to save us, and He finds
no better way to do so than to walk with us, to make our life His”,
said Francis.”And the moment of choosing the path, He did not
choose a great city of a great empire; He did not choose as a mother
a princess, a countess, an important person; He did not choose a
luxurious mansion. It seems that all of this was done intentionally
almost in secret. Mary was a girl aged just sixteen or seventeen, in
a remote village in the outskirts of the Roman Empire, that nobody
knew of. Joseph was boy who loved her and who wished to marry her, a
carpenter who worked for a living. In total simplicity … And when
he repudiated her – because they were engaged, and in such a small
village, you know how gossip circulates. All in secret, in spite of
slander and gossip. And Joseph realised that she was pregnant, but he
was righteous. All hidden, despite the slander and gossip. And the
Angel explains the mystery to Joseph: “'This Son that your fiancee
carries in her womb is the work of God, the work of the Holy Spirit.
When Joseph awoke from his dream, he did what the Angel of the Lord
had ordered him to do: he went to Mary and took her as his wife. But
all in secret, all humbly. The great cities of the world knew nothing
of this. In this way God came in our midst. If you want to find God,
seek in in humility, in poverty, look for Him where He is hidden: in
those most in need, in the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned”.

“When Jesus speaks about life, He
also tells us know we will be judged. He will not say, come to me
because you … are a benefactor of the Church. … No. You do not
pay your way to Heaven. He will not say, you are very important, you
have studied a lot and have many honours, come to Heaven. No. Honours
do not open the door to Heaven. What will Jesus say to open to us the
door to Heaven? 'For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty
and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was
naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in
prison and you came to me'. Jesus is in humility”.

“Jesus' love is great”, the Pope
exclaimed. “Therefore today as I open this door, I would like the
Holy Spirit to open the heart of all Romans, and let them see the way
to salvation! It is not luxury, it is not the way of great riches, it
is not the route of power. It is the road of humility. The poorest,
the sick, the imprisoned – Jesus says even more – the greatest
sinners, if they repent, will precede us in Heaven. They have the
key. He who acts in charity is the one who allows himself to be
embraced by God's mercy”.

“Today we open this Door and we ask
for two things. First, that the Lord open the door of our heart. We
are all in need of this as we are all sinners; we all need to hear
the Word of the Lord. … Second, may the Lord help us understand
that the path of presumptuousness, the road of wealth, the road of
vanity, the road of pride, are not roads to salvation. May the Lord
let us understand that in His caress as a Father, there is His mercy,
His forgiveness, and when we draw close to those who suffer, those
who are discarded by society: there we find Jesus. This Door, that is
the Door of Charity, the Door where may people are helped, many who
are discarded, shows us that it would be good if all of us, all
Romans, to know what it means to be discarded, and to feel the need
for God's help. Today let us pray for Rome, for all the inhabitants
of Rome, starting with me, that the Lord may give us the grace to
feel discarded, that we have no worth; only He can give us mercy and
grace. To approach that grace we must draw closer to the rejected,
the poor, those who are most in need, because it is on this closeness
that we will be judged”.

May the Lord today, opening this door,
give this grace to all of Rome, to every inhabitant of Rome, so as to
move forward in that embrace of mercy, in which the father takes his
wounded son, but the wounded one is the father: God is wounded by
love, and for this reason He is able to save all of us. May the Lord
grant us this grace”.

After the Mass, the Pope greeted the
participants and commented that Christmas is drawing hear and the
Lord is now close. “But when he was born, in that manger, no-one
realised that He was God. This Christmas, I would like the Lord to be
born in the heart of every one of us … hidden, as if nobody knew
it, but He was there. This is what I would like, this close of the
Lord. Pray for me, and I will pray for you”.

- Stefano D'Agostini, Italy, technical
head of the Vatican Television (CTV), as director of the CTV.

- Gregory Burke, communications adviser
at the Secretariat of State, as deputy director of the Holy See Press
Office.

On Sunday 20 December, the Holy Father
accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese
of Orange, United States of America, presented by Bishop Dominic Mai
Luong upon reaching the age limit.

On Saturday 19 December the Holy Father
appointed:

- Fr. Joseph Raja Rao Thelegathoti,
S.M.M., as bishop of Vijayawada (area 8,374, population 5,898,011,
Catholics 283,062, priests 229, 1,132 religious), India. The
bishop-elect was born in Peddautapally, India in 1952, gave his
religious vows in 1980 and was ordained a priest in the same year. He
holds a licentiate in biblical theology from the Dharmaram Vidya
Kshetram in Bangalore, India and a doctorate in spiritual theology
from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. He has served in a
number of roles, including rector of the minor seminary and of the
Montfort Theologate in Bangalore, provincial counsellor, provincial
superior, deputy president of the Conference of Religious of India,
director of the Anugraha Institute for Poor Girls, director of the
Montfort Marian Centre, Bangalore, and procurator general and
postulator of the Congregation of Montfort Fathers in Rome. He is
currently provincial of his congregation in Rome.

- Msgr. Leszek Leszkiewicz as auxiliary
of Tarnow (area 7,566, population 1,097,479, Catholics 1.091,829,
priests 1,455, religious 1.145), Poland. The bishop-elect was born in
Gorlice, Poland in 1970 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He holds a
licentiate in missiology from the Pontifical Urbanian University in
Rome, and has served in a number of roles including parish vicar,
missionary in Ecuador, deputy director of the department for missions
of the diocese of Tarnow, and prefect of discipline in the major
seminary of Tarnow. He is currently vicar forane and pastor of the
parish of St. Nicholas, and custodian of the shrine to the Blessed
Virgin in Bochnia.

- Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of
Vrhbosna, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as his special envoy to the
celebrations to be held on 3 February 2016 to commemorate the 17th
centenary of the martyrdom of St. Blaise, patron of the diocese of
Dubrovnik, Croatia, and the 600th anniversary of the abolition of
slavery by the Republic of Ragusa.

- Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski,
president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers (for
Health Pastoral Care) as his special envoy to the celebration of the
24th World Day of the Sick, to be held in Nazareth on 11 February
2016.

- Msgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the
Pontifical Council for Social Communications, as adjunct secretary of
the Pontifical Council for Culture, elevating him to the dignity of
bishop.